Atonement
by VTPM
Summary: If you were given a second chance, how would you do things differently? Especially when you don't want to be saved.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: So I know I haven't updated this story in forever, and there's two main reasons for that: first, my writing style has changed since I last updated and I was no longer happy with the style of this story [it was _far_ too dialogue-based], and secondly, I've read a few Obito reincarnate/second chance stories and this one was seeming a bit too similar to a few of them, so I wanted to redo some of the plot I had been planning out to make it a bit more unique. A few things will be staying the same, as I'm sure anyone who read the original of this story will notice, but I'll be using those elements I keep in different ways. I'm a little pressed for time on this chapter, so it's pretty short, but hopefully the rest should be longer. Think of this as more of a prologue, I guess. But anyways, without further ado, I hope you enjoy the story!)

* * *

Tranquil was the atmosphere in the meadow; the long grass swayed in the gentle breeze, broken up only by the sporadic patches of wildflowers, the sun was warm but not uncomfortably so, and the sky was a beautiful blue with only a few fluffy clouds floating slowly by.

He couldn't really enjoy the scenery though, but that was his fault alone. Sensei, Rin, and Kushina had all made an effort to improve his viewpoint on the situation, and while he appreciated it, he was determined to be miserable. Rin and Minato tried the gentle, understanding approach; Kushina just punched him upside the head and demanded what the _hell_ had he been thinking? He'd never admit it out loud, but he kind of preferred the Uzumaki's approach. However, while he had once been so sure of his choices, he couldn't find the words to answer her anymore, so he never said anything. He knew the silent treatment would only get him so far, but he was content to stick with it as long as he could.

Obito sensed two approaching chakra signatures and sighed. Couldn't they see he wanted to sulk in peace? He looked up as Minato and Rin got closer, wondering what variation of their lecture he would get this time. He didn't mean to sound ungrateful, but he would have thought they'd realize he didn't want them to try and make things better. They probably did, but it didn't stop them.

Minato spoke up first, "Obito.. There was something we needed to discuss with you.."

The Uchiha gave him a disinterested look. "Go ahead. It's not like you'll give me a choice."

Frowning in disapproval, the Yondaime continued, albeit a little hesitantly, "You see, we've been worried that.."

He didn't want to hear it. What made them think that he deserved their concern, after what he'd done? It wasn't like he'd redeemed himself at the end there - sure, he'd "saved" Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke from Kaguya, but did they forget it was his fault they were in that situation in the first place? Not to mention it wasn't even a heroic sacrifice; a fair portion of it had been a selfish excuse to commit suicide.

Rin seemed to pick up that he was about to cut off their Sensei, and said in rush, "There's trouble in the living world and they need your help!"

Minato and Obito both looked to the medic in surprise for her outburst. Normally, she never raised her voice.

Regardless, he wanted to tell her exactly why he _couldn't_ and _wouldn't_ be of any help, but she had pure tragedy in her eyes and Minato, opportunistic bastard, jumped on board and put on a twin expression. No one with a soul could possibly say no when faced with their pleading looks. _Shit._

Having a sinking feeling he was being set up for some sort of heinous trap, he cautiously asked, "Help with what..?" He was dead, after all. They couldn't expect that much from him, right? Obito hated to admit it, but he was worried. Was something happening that even Naruto and Sasuke weren't capable of handling; something bad enough they'd require _his_ help? [Likely Kamui] That didn't sit well with him.

"Well.. It's difficult to explain.." Minato murmured in a pacifying tone. "But I'm sure you'll understand once you're there.."

The dread he felt intensified, and he narrowed his eyes. "You're not serious."

Minato gave a nervous, possibly even apologetic smile at his clipped tone. "I know this isn't something you really want, but.."

Obito took a step back, raising his guard and about to protest, but while his focus was locked on his Sensei, Rin had approached his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. Unlike Minato, she didn't look sorry at all, only determined. "You'll do great; I know you will. But still, good luck, Obito. I hope you'll forgive us."

Before he could even fully register the words, his vision swirled to blinding white and everything collapsed into nothing.

* * *

Consciousness was returning to him; it felt like he'd been asleep for centuries, but maybe it had only been a heartbeat. It was impossible to tell. His body ached and yet felt numb. He couldn't quite come to a decision of which one it was.

He slowly eased open his eyes [Eye? He couldn't seem to open his other], expecting more bright white, but was instead met with suffocating darkness. He tried to sit up only to find their was no strength in his muscles.

Obito knew this feeling. The pain in his chest and face, the nothingness of the right half of his body, the bandages wrapped over his empty eye socket-

Mountain's Graveyard. He was _there_. _Again_.

He couldn't be bothered to think about it; to figure out what or why or how. He just knew he couldn't be here, couldn't go through this _absolute hell_ again.

It was a struggle lifting his left arm off the makeshift bed. He hoped he had the strength for this. Obito managed to maneuver his hand to his throat, and all that was left was to crush his own windpipe. A slow, painful death, but it was all he had.

Only he couldn't make his hand close. It wasn't that he lacked the strength, he was physically incapable of doing it.

The Curse Seal he carried in his heart.

Rin and Minato, they knew exactly how he'd react, hadn't they? They were prepared for him killing himself to get out of this and took measures against it. But it didn't explain _how_ they'd brought him to life again, let alone sent him back in time. It didn't explain _why,_ either.

 _Sensei said I'd know when I got here.. But now I feel like I know even less than before_..

One thing was for sure; either they'd lied to him about why he was here, or he'd massively misinterpreted what they meant.

Since he couldn't die like he'd wanted to, he didn't really have a choice but try to piece together what he did know and figure out what was happening. But before he could even decided where to begin, the stress of the predicament and the exhaustion of his injuries pulled him back toward unconsciousness, and he decided to let himself give in to the temptation. There wasn't much he could do other than torment himself over things he had no way of confirming, anyways. Maybe some rest would clear his mind and make something he couldn't see now more apparent. Or so he could hope.


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe he died in his sleep. [Ha, like he could be so fortunate.] His surroundings were dim, but he knew it wasn't the mines. He was in his adult body again, and the gloom around him was unnatural; it stretched out too far and was too deep, making it impossible to see anything even a few feet from the fire that was a couple meters ahead of him. _She_ was there, cross-legged next to the small blaze. Shadows flickered across her face and the light reflected in her eyes as she raised her gaze from the flames to look up at him. Obito slowly walked towards the warm glow of the campfire, surprised he didn't trip on anything on the way there. The shadows felt thick enough to stumble over.

He took a seat on the ground next to the fire as Rin had, not quite directly across from her but not very near either. He was still struggling to decide if he was agitated at her or not. While he tried to decide, he asked, "So, where is this?"

It wasn't the question she was expecting to get first, but she replied anyways, "Limbo. It's a place between the worlds of living and dead." When he didn't say anything, she continued, "I know you're upset, but Sensei and I only had good intentions for sending you there-"

"Oh, really?" he asked sardonically, cutting her off. "And what might those 'good intentions' be? I'd _love_ to hear this."

For her credit, Rin didn't even flinch. Instead, she took a deep breath and fixed him with a steady gaze. "You think that Sensei, Kushina, and I were just going to sit by idly and watch as you tore yourself apart and gave in to the guilt? I know you don't think very highly of yourself, but you're still important to us, and always will be, whether you like it or not. If the situation was reversed, would you just turn your back to our suffering?"

No, he wouldn't. He doubted he'd have any idea of what to say or do, but he wouldn't allow himself to do nothing. The mere thought of any of them having to feel what he felt was unbearable.

Taking his silence as agreement, Rin gave a sad smile. "You didn't leave us with a choice. You refused to let our words reach you. What else could we have done to open your eyes if you wouldn't let us speak to you and always turned us away?"

"What exactly did you do? Why am I back just after Kannabi Bridge? If I was revived to help, shouldn't it still be after the Fourth War?" He had so many other questions to ask, but he knew he had to show some self control and stop himself so she had the chance to answer.

It didn't matter anyways. His vision blurred and all his senses went out of focus until the murk consumed everything, and the warmth of the fire was replace with the chill of the underground air.

Obito didn't want to open his eyes. He knew he'd hate what he'd have to see, so he tried to will himself back to sleep instead. He needed to talk with her just a little longer, just enough to know _why_ and he'd have been satisfied for the time being. But he would never know if it would have worked or not, as someone had begun sharply poking his left cheek and a familiar voice asked, "Hey, wake up. Are you dead? You don't think he died, do you? What if I try shaking him; do you think he'll break?"

Suppressing a growl, Obito opened his eye and willed himself to punch the white, swirled Zetsu clone straight in the back of the head while he wasn't looking. When that failed, he settled for glaring up a storm until the creature looked back down at him.

It took a few moments, but eventually Swirly glanced down to resume his prodding, though perked up at the sight of the Uchiha's consciousness, not bothered in the least by the death stare he was on the receiving end of. He threw his arms up joyously and cheered, "You're alive! Wow, what a miracle; you were in a real bad way. You're very lucky!"

"Luck has nothing to do with it," he responded dryly. Did he have to scream everything? He already had a headache.

"Well, aren't you just a ball of sunshine," Swirly said, unperturbed by the sour reply.

Obito just sighed [he wished he hadn't; it hurt his ribs] and closed his eye. Maybe the Senju creature would get the hint and leave him alone. Yeah, right.

"Ooh, are you dying now? I hope not. Corpses aren't very fun, you know."

Gritting his teeth, he hissed, "I'm tired. Go away."

A softer, more human voice spoke up somewhere to his left. "Let him be; he needs to rest if he's going to heal." At least one of them has a little sense.

The clone doesn't bother him again, and he can make himself sleep once more.

But no dreams were waiting for him.

* * *

He's even more angry and frustrated when he wakes than he had been before. He wants to blame _someone_ , but he's not sure who. Part of him wants to fault Swirly, or Rin, but mostly he knows he's the only one to blame.

The resentment is mounting until it's a burning fury caged in his chest, just waiting to boil over. His state of immobility only adds fuel to the fire.

Obito forced his left arm to move and tried to press his palm into the hard mattress. Even that minor of an action is a strain, but he pushed past the shakiness of his recuperating muscles and managed to slowly push himself into a sitting up position. It hurts; his ribs and side are in stabbing pain, and he feels a pressure on his lungs restricting his breathing, but he ignores it. He took a moment to catch his breath and let the pain dull before he moved any more, but suddenly Zetsu's at his side and stopping him.

"You shouldn't be trying to get up. You'll just hurt yourself," he said, as if it wasn't obvious.

"No shit," Obito snapped. He knew he shouldn't take it out on the plant being, but he doesn't really care either.

Zetsu didn't look fazed anyways. "Just be still and rest; you need it."

How could he rest? He'd just woken up, and if Rin wasn't there then, she wouldn't be now. There was nothing to come out of any more sleep. Granted, there was nothing he could do while awake either, but that was beside the point. He thought back to what the Nohara had been able to say before Swirly had woken him. She'd said it was for him to help the world, and to save him from his own self-inflicted suffering. What a fucking joke. What good could he possibly do for anyone like this? Why couldn't she just accept that he didn't want to get better?

He decided he didn't want to think about it anymore; didn't want to deepen the already bottomless well of negative feelings. If he did, he knew it would just take over completely, and there wouldn't be any digging himself free of it this time.

Obito remembered Zetsu was still there and was waiting for an answer, so he just nodded in agreement, albeit reluctantly, and laid back down again. More or less, he was stuck here with very limited options of how to handle the situation. If he decided to stay [for Rin's and Sensei's sake], he knew he should start thinking of what he would have to do to prevent what had happened before. Some things were pretty obvious, but he knew changing timelines was a delicate matter, and if he did something wrong, there could be grave unforeseen outcomes.

At least, for the time being, he had nothing but time to waste on such thoughts.


End file.
